fic: cut the light (stargate sg1)
sg_ep_ficathon ficathon: angelqueen04 requested the episode Memento Mori and "how did Vala get from the warehouse to officially joining SG-1, given her emotional and psychological state?"
STATUS: Complete
SUMMARY: Scattered, like memories from the past.
RATING: PG
CLASSIFICATIONS: Daniel/Vala
SPOILERS: Memento Mori (10x08)
SOUNDTRACK: "In Pieces" (Shannon Noll)
ARCHIVING: Do not archive. Thank you.
THANKS TO: lone_pyramid for the betaing. Much appreciated!
WORDS: 1,307
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Don't sue.
Copyright anr; November 2007.
* * * * *
Cut the Light by anr
* * * * *
DAY 1
Vala steals his cell phone when they leave the warehouse; spends most of the car ride to the base scrolling through his phonebook and messages. He doesn't bother trying to reclaim it.
"I'm not in here," she says suspiciously. "If I'm one of you -- if I'm part of your team, or facility, or whatever it is -- why am I not in here?"
"You live on the base," he says, pointing to entry marked Cheyenne Mountain. "You can be reached at that number."
She raises an eyebrow. "No cell phone? Pager? Blackberry?" Snapping the phone shut, she tosses it onto his lap with a frown. "I thought everyone these days had a cell phone."
"Everyone might be an exaggeration," he says with a small smile. When Vala crosses her arms and glares, he winces. "Er, usually you just steal mine?"
She doesn't seem reassured. "Hmm."
*
DAY 2
"Looks good," says Doctor Lam, examining the MRI scans closely. "There's no scarring or recognisable damage..."
"So we can use the memory device?" Cam asks.
She nods. "I don't see why not. Based on the flashbacks she's reported experiencing, her brain is already trying to heal itself. Her memories appear to be still there and intact, just blocked."
Sam grins. "I'll go get the device," she says, and Teal'c offers to assist her.
Daniel's already halfway to the door. "I'll tell Vala."
*
DAY 3
"You'll probably continue to experience flashbacks for awhile as your brain readjusts to having access to all your memories, so don't be afraid if not everything seems to come back immediately. You've experienced a lot in your life -- it'll take time for your brain to process everything again."
Vala frowns as she lets Doctor Lam remove the electrodes and sensors from her skin. "But I can go, right? I don't need to stay here?"
Doctor Lam nods. "I'd like you stay on Base for the time being," she says. "But you're free to return to your quarters."
Smiling, Daniel steps forward. "Hey," he says, as Vala slips off the bed. "Remember me?"
Standing beside the bed, Vala studies him intently for a long moment...
... and then grins, wide and bright. "Of course, darling," she says, winking. "As if I could ever forget you."
*
DAY 4
He finds her in the cafeteria, staring blankly at a cup of coffee. On the table is a large piece of chocolate cake, complete with whipped cream and a ridiculously oversized strawberry. It looks untouched.
"Afternoon snack?" he asks, pulling out the chair opposite her. He's just come from a meeting with Landry and could do with a quick break before he gets back to work.
She shrugs. "Marcie over there by the self service cabinet gave it to me. She says it's my favourite," she says glumly.
He blinks, surprised by her tone. "That was nice of her," he says cautiously.
"Yeah." Slumping, she starts turning her coffee cup in slow circles on the tabletop. "I guess."
"Vala --" Reaching over, he covers her hand with his. "-- what's wrong?"
With a frustrated noise, she leans back in her chair, her hand pulling away from his. "It's just -- is it my favourite? I don't know -- I haven't remembered yet. Everything's all so confusing still, my memories all disjointed. In the past few hours I've remembered my first job, giving birth to Adria, and the smell of the tar pits on Tablas Ritprea -- which, thank you very much, is a memory I could have quite happily forgotten forever -- but can I remember my favourite baked dessert? No."
"Doctor Lam did say it might take some time for everything to make sense again," he says sympathetically. For a moment he considers telling her about his own memory issues following his first descension, but decides against it. This isn't about him. "You just need to be patient."
"I am being patient," she says grumpily, and he hides a smile.
"Well then," he says, reaching across the table and pushing the plate closer to her, "while you're waiting -- I happen to know for a fact that you love chocolate cake."
*
DAY 5
She recalls Qetesh's massacre of the children of P3X259, her mass torture of the miners on P8X412, and a few other things she refuses to elaborate about at roughly the same time. When he gets to her quarters, her dresser and mirror are in pieces, her table and one of its chairs not looking much better.
"You should have let me stay lost," she says into her pillow, hiding her face from him.
Sitting behind her on the bed, he shakes his head and rests his hand on her back, gently rubbing in small, soothing circles. "Was never gonna happen," he says.
*
DAY 6
He wakes up cold and stiff, curled up in her remaining chair and his neck aching from having slept at a funny angle. On the bed, Vala is already awake and watching him, a speculative look on her face.
"Morning," he manages through a yawn, massaging his nape.
"Good morning," she says with a slow smile. As he watches, she stretches her arms above her head, fingers interlocking and the sheet slipping away from her shoulders and leg in a way that can only be deliberate. "You know, Daniel, you could have just come to bed instead of sitting there all night. We're both extremely attractive people -- I'm sure we've had sex numerous times already, even if I can't quite remember the specifics just yet."
Rolling his eyes, he pushes himself up and out of the chair, heading for the door.
"Nice try, Vala," he says as wearily as he can.
He makes sure the door has closed behind him before allowing a small grin to escape.
"And welcome back."
*
DAY 7
He's immersed in an Ancient text, searching for references to the Clava Thessara Infinatus, when Vala saunters into his office.
"Teal'c and I are going cell phone shopping," she says without preface, picking up a fertility idol and tossing it between her hands. "I saw the most adorable little pink one on the television last night that will go perfectly with the new boots I bought last month." She tosses the statue to him and grins broadly when he fumbles to catch it in time. "You should come with us."
He shakes his head. "I don't think so," he says, placing the statue on the far side of his desk.
"It'll be fun."
"I have work to do."
She makes a face at that. "Honestly, Daniel. What could be so important as to turn down the opportunity to shop for a tiny electronic communications device that can be compromised and rendered useless in a surprising number of ways? And, perhaps, partake of one of Sal's famed Meatball Sandwiches?"
He raises an eyebrow. "How about defeating the Ori army and freeing a galaxy that is rapidly becoming enslaved?" he returns dryly. "Besides -- don't you have an appointment with Doctor Lam this afternoon to find out your duty status?"
Vala waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, that's not until four o'clock -- plenty of time for an outing beforehand."
"I'll pass," he says, but he smiles as he says it. "What are you going to tell Sal?"
She shrugs. "The truth," she says. "Or close enough to it, anyway. I'll tell him that I'm not really a waitress, that I have now recovered my memories, and that I am most grateful to him for the assistance he provided me."
Daniel nods. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that," he says.
Smiling, Vala nods as well. "Me too."
* * * * *
The End.
FEEDBACK: Always appreciated. *g*
FIC COMMENTARY: Cut The Light
STATUS: Complete
SUMMARY: Scattered, like memories from the past.
RATING: PG
CLASSIFICATIONS: Daniel/Vala
SPOILERS: Memento Mori (10x08)
SOUNDTRACK: "In Pieces" (Shannon Noll)
ARCHIVING: Do not archive. Thank you.
THANKS TO: lone_pyramid for the betaing. Much appreciated!
WORDS: 1,307
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Don't sue.
Copyright anr; November 2007.
* * * * *
Cut the Light by anr
* * * * *
DAY 1
Vala steals his cell phone when they leave the warehouse; spends most of the car ride to the base scrolling through his phonebook and messages. He doesn't bother trying to reclaim it.
"I'm not in here," she says suspiciously. "If I'm one of you -- if I'm part of your team, or facility, or whatever it is -- why am I not in here?"
"You live on the base," he says, pointing to entry marked Cheyenne Mountain. "You can be reached at that number."
She raises an eyebrow. "No cell phone? Pager? Blackberry?" Snapping the phone shut, she tosses it onto his lap with a frown. "I thought everyone these days had a cell phone."
"Everyone might be an exaggeration," he says with a small smile. When Vala crosses her arms and glares, he winces. "Er, usually you just steal mine?"
She doesn't seem reassured. "Hmm."
*
DAY 2
"Looks good," says Doctor Lam, examining the MRI scans closely. "There's no scarring or recognisable damage..."
"So we can use the memory device?" Cam asks.
She nods. "I don't see why not. Based on the flashbacks she's reported experiencing, her brain is already trying to heal itself. Her memories appear to be still there and intact, just blocked."
Sam grins. "I'll go get the device," she says, and Teal'c offers to assist her.
Daniel's already halfway to the door. "I'll tell Vala."
*
DAY 3
"You'll probably continue to experience flashbacks for awhile as your brain readjusts to having access to all your memories, so don't be afraid if not everything seems to come back immediately. You've experienced a lot in your life -- it'll take time for your brain to process everything again."
Vala frowns as she lets Doctor Lam remove the electrodes and sensors from her skin. "But I can go, right? I don't need to stay here?"
Doctor Lam nods. "I'd like you stay on Base for the time being," she says. "But you're free to return to your quarters."
Smiling, Daniel steps forward. "Hey," he says, as Vala slips off the bed. "Remember me?"
Standing beside the bed, Vala studies him intently for a long moment...
... and then grins, wide and bright. "Of course, darling," she says, winking. "As if I could ever forget you."
*
DAY 4
He finds her in the cafeteria, staring blankly at a cup of coffee. On the table is a large piece of chocolate cake, complete with whipped cream and a ridiculously oversized strawberry. It looks untouched.
"Afternoon snack?" he asks, pulling out the chair opposite her. He's just come from a meeting with Landry and could do with a quick break before he gets back to work.
She shrugs. "Marcie over there by the self service cabinet gave it to me. She says it's my favourite," she says glumly.
He blinks, surprised by her tone. "That was nice of her," he says cautiously.
"Yeah." Slumping, she starts turning her coffee cup in slow circles on the tabletop. "I guess."
"Vala --" Reaching over, he covers her hand with his. "-- what's wrong?"
With a frustrated noise, she leans back in her chair, her hand pulling away from his. "It's just -- is it my favourite? I don't know -- I haven't remembered yet. Everything's all so confusing still, my memories all disjointed. In the past few hours I've remembered my first job, giving birth to Adria, and the smell of the tar pits on Tablas Ritprea -- which, thank you very much, is a memory I could have quite happily forgotten forever -- but can I remember my favourite baked dessert? No."
"Doctor Lam did say it might take some time for everything to make sense again," he says sympathetically. For a moment he considers telling her about his own memory issues following his first descension, but decides against it. This isn't about him. "You just need to be patient."
"I am being patient," she says grumpily, and he hides a smile.
"Well then," he says, reaching across the table and pushing the plate closer to her, "while you're waiting -- I happen to know for a fact that you love chocolate cake."
*
DAY 5
She recalls Qetesh's massacre of the children of P3X259, her mass torture of the miners on P8X412, and a few other things she refuses to elaborate about at roughly the same time. When he gets to her quarters, her dresser and mirror are in pieces, her table and one of its chairs not looking much better.
"You should have let me stay lost," she says into her pillow, hiding her face from him.
Sitting behind her on the bed, he shakes his head and rests his hand on her back, gently rubbing in small, soothing circles. "Was never gonna happen," he says.
*
DAY 6
He wakes up cold and stiff, curled up in her remaining chair and his neck aching from having slept at a funny angle. On the bed, Vala is already awake and watching him, a speculative look on her face.
"Morning," he manages through a yawn, massaging his nape.
"Good morning," she says with a slow smile. As he watches, she stretches her arms above her head, fingers interlocking and the sheet slipping away from her shoulders and leg in a way that can only be deliberate. "You know, Daniel, you could have just come to bed instead of sitting there all night. We're both extremely attractive people -- I'm sure we've had sex numerous times already, even if I can't quite remember the specifics just yet."
Rolling his eyes, he pushes himself up and out of the chair, heading for the door.
"Nice try, Vala," he says as wearily as he can.
He makes sure the door has closed behind him before allowing a small grin to escape.
"And welcome back."
*
DAY 7
He's immersed in an Ancient text, searching for references to the Clava Thessara Infinatus, when Vala saunters into his office.
"Teal'c and I are going cell phone shopping," she says without preface, picking up a fertility idol and tossing it between her hands. "I saw the most adorable little pink one on the television last night that will go perfectly with the new boots I bought last month." She tosses the statue to him and grins broadly when he fumbles to catch it in time. "You should come with us."
He shakes his head. "I don't think so," he says, placing the statue on the far side of his desk.
"It'll be fun."
"I have work to do."
She makes a face at that. "Honestly, Daniel. What could be so important as to turn down the opportunity to shop for a tiny electronic communications device that can be compromised and rendered useless in a surprising number of ways? And, perhaps, partake of one of Sal's famed Meatball Sandwiches?"
He raises an eyebrow. "How about defeating the Ori army and freeing a galaxy that is rapidly becoming enslaved?" he returns dryly. "Besides -- don't you have an appointment with Doctor Lam this afternoon to find out your duty status?"
Vala waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, that's not until four o'clock -- plenty of time for an outing beforehand."
"I'll pass," he says, but he smiles as he says it. "What are you going to tell Sal?"
She shrugs. "The truth," she says. "Or close enough to it, anyway. I'll tell him that I'm not really a waitress, that I have now recovered my memories, and that I am most grateful to him for the assistance he provided me."
Daniel nods. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that," he says.
Smiling, Vala nods as well. "Me too."
* * * * *
The End.
FEEDBACK: Always appreciated. *g*
FIC COMMENTARY: Cut The Light